BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Western Carolina softball (10-19, 2-6 Southern Conference) split its Saturday doubleheader with Samford (10-16, 2-6 SoCon), dropping the first game 5-1 and winning the second game 6-2 at the UAB Softball Complex.

Samford 5, Western Carolina 1

Two costly errors in the first inning, by Western Carolina, accounted for three Samford runs and the Catamounts seem to never recover.

Samford hurler Shelby Scott sat down the first nine Western Carolina batters before Amelia Griffin beat out a single to start the fourth inning. It was one of five hits for the Catamounts.

Western Carolina avoided the shutout when senior Shemekia Scotton blasted a homerun, the only homerun by either team in the game, to right field.

With one out Griffin and Megan Crowe hit back-to-back singles to give Western Carolina its best scoring chance. However Haley Pace hit into a fielder's choice to erase Griffin at third and Heather Chastain flew out to left field to end the inning.

Samford added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Freshman Taylor Sigmon tossed her second consecutive complete game and takes the loss falling to 0-5 on the season. She had five strikeouts, allowed nine hits and just one earned run.

Western Carolina 6, Samford 2

Western Carolina jumped on the board with a pair of runs in the top of the second all off a Samford error. Amber Steinhardt led off the inning with a single up the middle and Scototn followed with a doubled to center field. With runners on second and third, Jordan Fulton hit shot to the Samford shortstop and the ball rolled through her legs. Steinhardt and Scotton scored on the Bulldog miscue.

The Catamounts tacked on three runs in the top of the third inning. Crowe led off the inning with a single and with one out Heather Chastain singled to right center to place runners at the corners. With two outs, Steinhardt sent a shot to left field, it dinged off the foul poll and went over for the three-run homerun.

Samford scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Alex Adams led off with a single and with one out, Abby Adams singled. Relief pitcher Misha Aldridge sent a shot to centerfield and Alex Adams attempted to go home. Catamount catcher Heather Chastain made a beautiful sweeping tag but the Samford runner was called safe. Caroline Wilder's RBI was the second run of the inning for the Bulldogs.

Crowe was 3-for-3 in the game with a run scored and an RBI. Steinhardt had two outs including her three-run homerun.

Garrett evens her overall record to 8-8 with the win tossing her 10th complete game. She gave up eight hits, two runs and struck out six.

Western Carolina and Samford will complete the three game series on Sunday with a start time set for 2 p.m. EDT.